Shop 'Til You Drop at La Ve Vee Couture Small Business Saturday at Vintage Park Shopping Village slated for Nov. 28

Before opening her own boutique, she spent 10 years working for an air conditioning company. "It was just not my thing," she admitted.

When not at work, she had started designing baby shoes, embellishing the tiny footwear with bling. She gifted the Swarovski Crystal-embellished pacifiers and baby booties that she made to friends who were having baby showers. "Before I knew it, I had a whole line of baby products," Knight said. "I started going to trunk shows, and then I got my designs into upscale boutiques."

Based on her success at the early ventures, she approached her husband about going full-time into a fashion-related business venture. "I said, 'Let's take a gamble,'" Knight recalled. "He said, 'I'm not a gambling man.'"

But he had married a woman who was not afraid to take risks. Soon enough, Knight convinced her husband to support the idea. "I decided to go for it," Knight said.

She had already set her sights on what she thought would be the perfect location for her specialty boutique - Vintage Park. "I knew that Vintage Park was going to be a success," she said. "I had the same vision the builder had. It's a beautiful complex. I just love it. I think it's gorgeous."

Knight opened La Ve Vee Couture at 130 Vintage Park Blvd. Suite B five years ago - and stocked her shelves with the hottest trends as well as classic looks. "I carry clothing for anyone from a child to a mature woman," she said. "There really were no boutiques around where a daughter could shop with her mother and grandmother all in one store."

It's Knight's mission to change that - and make a fun shopping experience for all ages. "We've been referred to as vintage chic," she said. "We're unique and one-of-a-kind."

La Ve Vee Couture carries top designers like 2 Tee Couture and Steve Madden, as well as Knight's line of baby clothes and accessories. There are also plenty of accessories, shoes and jewelry to peruse in the store.

"When I go to the market, I try to find labels that are affordable," Knight said. "I want you to have the experience of shopping in an upscale boutique without the price tag."

She explained that her staff is trained to help shoppers find their own personal styles. Paying careful attention to customers' needs is a top priority, she added. "If it weren't for our customers, we wouldn't be here," Knight said.

She has also created a troupe of style ambassadors for her brand. Local ladies audition to join the La Ve Vee Girls each year - and have a number of modeling sessions, fashion shows and fun events throughout the year to show off the latest styles. "We invite girls of all shapes and sizes," Knight said. "You don't have to be a certain size to be one of our models. We're all beautiful in our own way."

She hopes that with the help of the girls - and the increasing popularity of the shop - that La Ve Vee will become a name for fashionistas looking for retail therapy. "I want to be a fashion destination," Knight said. "And most of all I want shoppers to have fun and feel great when they walk out with their purchases."

The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

La Ve Vee is one of a number of independently-owned businesses that call Vintage Park Shopping Village home. The restaurant, retail and entertainment center is joining the national movement for Small Business Saturday, a shopping holiday held every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.